SCITUATE – The 159-year-old lighthouse referred to as the “I Love You” light for its 1-4-3 flashing beacon has hit the auction block after both Scituate and Cohasset passed up the opportunity to own it.

In an effort to transfer stewardship of historic lighthouses, the federal General Services Administration is auctioning Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse, located about a mile off Scituate and Cohasset, for a starting bid of $10,000. No one had bid on the lighthouse as of Thursday afternoon.

“Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse is an important part of our regional and national maritime history,” Robert Zarnetske, the agency’s New England regional administrator, said in a statement. “Through a public sale, GSA is looking for a passionate and capable owner to help us ensure that this architectural treasure will be preserved without burdening taxpayers.”

Built in 1855, the 5-million-pound lighthouse made from 1,079 blocks of Quincy granite sits atop 25 feet of ledge. It is accessible only by boat and ladder. According to the administration, Joseph Totten, the chief engineer of the Army Corps of Engineers, designed the light, which cost $300,000 to construct.

The upper levels of the light include a kitchen, keeper’s bedrooms, living space and storage. There are no utilities.

“This lighthouse is ideal for avid divers exploring the local shipwrecks, fishing enthusiasts and anyone committed to preserving the maritime history of the Minot’s Ledge Light,” the government auction site says.

The lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and will continue to serve as an active aid to navigation, maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. The owner would be responsible for any work to the structure.

David Ball, president of the Scituate Historical Society, said the society, the towns of Scituate and Cohasset, and the Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands expressed interest several years ago to take over the light for free.

Ball said representatives went out last summer for an interior inspection of the light before deciding whether to proceed with the final portion of the application. Neither the nonprofits nor the towns did so.

“The federal government is looking for someone to maintain the lighthouse, and it’s in reasonable condition, but it does need some work,” Ball said. “We felt the financial responsibility would be huge, and there’s tremendous issues with accessibility. There’s really no ability to do anything with it except to say we own it.”

The federal government has sold or transferred more than 100 lighthouses since 2000, with 68 transferred at no cost to preservationists and 36 sold by auction to the public.

Graves Light in Boston Harbor, for example, sold at auction for close to $1 million. There is substantially more ledge at Graves Light than at Minot’s Ledge, and a dock for better access.

Page 2 of 2 - Halfway Rock Light Station off Harpswell, Maine, and Boon Island Light Station in York, Maine, are also now up for auction.